Page 54 of In The Shadow of The Wolf

Considering they were on alert and searching for a crazed killer, and on top of that, he was frustrated at being separated from his mate, Jamie wasn’t so sure he could be tolerant of their bullshit. But he had to check out every call, no matter how unimportant it may seem.

“Mrs. Perron insisted that someone was lurking around their garage,” Helen informed him, and instantly he was more than a little interested. Perhaps Randall would be dealt with sooner rather than later; he could only hope.

“I’ll check it out straight away.” Jamie jogged the few blocks over to the Perron home, hoping that it wasn’t just another of their nuisance calls. He looked around the property from the roadway and then made his way back towards their garage that sat near the tree line of their property.

Mr. and Mrs. Perron came outside yelling their displeasure at the police force’s failure to secure their property and their safety. They weren’t making any sense apart from telling him that both he and the entire police force were a joke and a waste of taxpayer money. Finally, he’d had enough and needed to get them inside and out of any possible danger.

“Go back into your house immediately, and don’t come out until I tell you it is safe.” He ordered. Neither of them moved and just flashed him indignant stares. Having had his fill of their attitudes, he moved towards them in his best I’m an officer of the law, and you will do as I say moves. They quickly turned and scurried back indoors.

Jamie made a sweep of the yard and the outer wooded area but found nothing, so he called it in and then informed the Perrons of his findings. They were not pleased, but he couldn’t care less and told them as much.

…

Ivan was sent along with the men checking to the east as Viktor was sent to the west. Dean had organized a sweep that was leaving no stone unturned, and Ivan was to check out a crop of cabins used by the pack for hunting and camping. No one was using them at present, so they should all be empty.

He tried to keep his mind on the matter at hand, but his thoughts continually drifted to Jamie and the love they’d shared. He couldn’t wait to have this business over, and then he could just disappear with his sexy mate for a week or maybe two. Randall was a disease that needed to be eradicated, the man had done so much damage to so many people, and now he could add murder to his resume. The bastard was always getting in his way.

Ivan separated from the other men and went to the two cabins to the north while they checked the other three that were about a quarter-mile to the south. Ivan planned to meet them there when he was finished.

The first cabin was unused and in disrepair. It looked as if it hadn’t been occupied in years. He looked around anyway and then secured the place before moving to the second cabin that was a little deeper in the woods. It appeared in better shape than the last. He stopped suddenly and looked around his wolf, sensing that something was wrong.

He approached carefully, and as he got closer, he could smell the presence of someone inside the cabin. All the windows were shuttered, so he drew his weapon and quietly made his way to the door. But before he touched the knob, a familiar voice called to him from inside.

“Come in, Ivan. I’ve been waiting for you or whoever happened to come to my door. I’m so pleased that it’s you.” Randall shouted. “Don’t make me wait. It would be a shame to have to hurt this boy.” Suddenly a loud scream tore through the air. It was the sound of someone being tortured.

Ivan threw open the door to a most disturbing scene. Jordan Randall stood there in the middle of the room with a young boy, probably no older than fourteen or fifteen, tied to a chair. Randall had a knife in one hand and was slicing the kid's face, and with his other hand, he held a pistol to the kid’s head. Randall looked completely insane. He no longer maintained the façade of a classy, sophisticated attorney. He wore an expression of total lunacy. His clothing looked like it had been stolen since it was ill-fitting and awkward.

Ivan took a few steps into the room and stood still, holding his gun and pointing it at Randall. He watched Randall’s every move hoping for an opening.

“You’re going to have to drop that gun, Ivan, or I will have to kill this poor boy. I really don’t care one way or the other, but it would bloody up the place, and I was planning to stay here for a few more days. I have a date with Ronan James. That little piss ant started this whole thing, and I plan on making him pay. Oh, the things I’m going to do to that young man.” He mused and ran his blade across the boy’s cheek, laying it open. To his credit, the boy gritted his teeth, and tears ran down his face, but he stayed silent. “Put the gun down, or this boy dies; you have ten seconds to comply.”

Ivan lowered his gun and laid it on the floor to his right. He then straightened back up and kept his eyes locked on the mad man in front of him. The boy looked at him with pleading eyes that begged for rescue.

He knew if he didn’t show up at the other cabins in a timely manner, the men would return for him. He just wasn’t sure how that would play out, so he needed to get the boy out of the cabin. “Untie the boy and let him go. If you do, I will not resist, and you can tie me to the chair. I won’t fight you.” He watched as Randall thought about his offer.

“Okay, but only if you let me tie you up first, and then I will let the boy go.” Randall countered, obviously not trusting Ivan to not resist. Ivan nodded and walked over to a straight-back chair near where the boy was seated. “Good, good.” Randall chanted and jumped around. “Now sit.” Ivan sat down and glanced over at the boy. “I’ll let him go,” Randall assured. “I’m getting bored with him anyway.”

He tied Ivan’s hands behind him and looped the cords through the sides of the chair. He then tied his feet together and looped the cords around the legs of the chair. When he was satisfied, he cut the ropes holding the boy and pushed him out of the chair. The boy staggered to his feet and hurried to the door, and ran outside. Once he was gone, Randall walked over and closed and locked the door. “We don’t want any interruptions, Ivan. I have plans for you.”

…

The boy didn’t stop running until he was caught in the arms of a large man with a dark stare and a gravel tone. “Who are you, boy?” He demanded and then added. “Who hurt you?”

“My name is Asher, and it was a man named Randall.” That was all the kid had to say to set everything in motion.

“My name is Quade Combs, and I live around here.” The big guy explained in an attempt to placate the boy. “I’m going to have my friend here take you to get help. They will take care of your wounds.” He pushed the boy into the hands of the soldier next to him and quickly called his Alpha.

Within minutes the cabin was surrounded, and the men waited for Alpha Lance to arrive. They were not aware that Ivan was inside until the men Ivan had been searching with came back looking for him. Quade contacted the soldier that had the boy and asked about Ivan and was informed he’d traded himself for the boy. An easy takedown had just gotten complicated.

CHAPTER FIVE

Jamie had just returned to the station when the call came in. It was a call that caused the earth to fall out from beneath his feet. It can’t really be happening, his brain screamed. He’d just found his mate, and they were just beginning to come to an understanding.

He grabbed the corner of the desk in order to steady himself. His wolf, usually somewhat docile, raged within him to break free and hunt down his mate and kill the man who was holding him. He felt his canines slice through and his claws tear into the wood of the desk before he was able to push back and regain control barely. “Go to him, Jamie,” Helen spoke softly.

Jamie took off like a shot, thinking of nothing but the fact that Ivan was okay, that he was indeed okay. If he wasn’t okay . . . well, Jamie refused to think about that.

…

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